Federal Skilled Workers FSWP
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW) is part of the most popular Canadian immigration system Express Entry, which fast-tracks the immigration process. FSW is nominated to workers with foreign experience who are willing to immigrate to Canada.
Canada has set ambitious goals for 2024, aiming to welcome 485,000 new permanent residents, with a further increase to 500,000 by 2025. The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) remains central to achieving these targets, as Canada focuses on attracting skilled talent from across the globe to fuel its economic and social growth. These increased targets mean more opportunities for skilled workers through the Express Entry system, making this a promising time to pursue permanent residency in Canada.
What’s Express Entry System and How It Works?
The Express Entry immigration system allows IRCC to issue invitations to apply (ITA) for eligible applicants to apply for permanent residence.
Eligible applicants who have their profile accepted through the Express Entry pool are given a score and ranked under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) based on the personal information they provided.
Express Entry Programs:
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How Does The Federal Skilled Worker Program FSWP Work?
The Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP) is a Canadian immigration program designed to attract highly skilled professionals who can contribute to the country’s economic growth. Administered by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the FSWP is one of the three programs under the Express Entry system, which aims to facilitate the immigration process for skilled workers. A Federal Skilled Worker applicant does not have to be residing in Canada in order to be eligible for the program. To be eligible for FSWP, you should meet the Minimum requirements:
- Education.
- Language Ability.
- Skilled Work Experience.
can all be completed outside of Canada, so a program is an excellent option for those who are living outside Canada.
However, the Federal Skilled Worker Program candidates receive the highest percentage of invitations to apply, with FSW candidates receiving more than half of all invitations issued in 2018.
There is no guarantee that the applicants will receive an invitation to apply (ITA), alike if they are eligible to apply under the FSW program. If their CRS score is below the minimum requirement.
Education for FSWP
You must have completed a minimum education equal to the completion of a Canadian high school diploma. If your education was completed outside of Canada, you will need an Educational Credentials Assessment (ECA) attesting to the value of your education by Canadian standards. For example WES.
If you moved to a school in Canada, you must have a certification or degree from:
- Canadian high school
- Post-secondary organization of Canada.
If you have foreign education, you must have:
- An achieved credential.
- An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for migration plans from a nominated organization shows that your education is equal to the Canadian high school or post-high school requirements.
Language Ability
You must have an approved language test showing you are proficient in either English or French. The minimum score for FSW is equal to the Canadian Language Benchmark of Level 7 (CLB 7), however the higher you score you got, the better your chances of success.
For the language ability, you must have
- Approved language tests for English and French.
- You should have the four abilities in English and French.
- Writing.
- Reading.
- Speaking.
- Listening.
- According to the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB), gain a minimum score for all these abilities as shown above.
- After the result, enter that result in the profile if Express Entry.
Skilled Work Experience
You must have a minimum of 12 months of full-time, skilled work experience, or an equivalent amount of part-time experience. This experience must be continuous and in a single occupation. To be considered “skilled” experience, you must have been working in an occupation at National Occupation Classification (NOC).
According to NOC job groups, you should work on one of the below jobs for professional work experience.
Your professional work knowledge will include the following duties according to the description in the NOC.
Settlement Funds
The FSW Program candidates without a solid employment proposal must declare adequate settlement funds while joining the Express Entry pool. This report must then be confirmed when an appeal for permanent residence is given.
The necessary fund for one person in Canadian dollars is $13213, and for the addition of each family member, it will cost another 3560$.
Find out if you are eligible to get in Canada →
Points Grid – FSWP
For eligibility for the FSW program, the applicant must score 67 scores out of 100 on the grid of points. This point system is entirely different from the CRS system and ranks all the express entry profiles.
If you meet these minimum requirements, you may be eligible to apply for an Express Entry profile. Even so, please pay attention that being eligible does not guarantee that you’ll get an ITA to submit an official application for Canadian permanent residence. Express Entry is a competitive immigration selection system, so only the highest-ranking FSW candidates will be invited to apply.
Is FSW different from Express Entry?
The Federal Skilled Workers Program operates within the Express Entry system, which is a streamlined process for managing applications for permanent residency in Canada. The system uses a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to rank applicants based on factors such as age, education, language proficiency, work experience, and adaptability.
Express Entry Profile: Interested candidates must create an Express Entry profile and provide accurate information regarding their skills, education, work experience, language ability, and other relevant details. Upon submission, candidates receive a CRS score based on the information provided.
Express Entry Draws: A New Focus on In-Demand Skills
In recent months, Canada has shifted its Express Entry approach by introducing targeted draws for specific skills and sectors, such as healthcare, STEM, and skilled trades. This change allows the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to strategically select candidates with high-demand skills, supporting essential labor markets and enabling candidates with expertise in these areas to receive Invitations to Apply (ITAs) even if they don’t have top-ranking Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores. This shift emphasizes the Canadian government’s commitment to addressing skill shortages while opening new doors for skilled professionals worldwide.
Federal Skilled Worker (FSWP) Selection Factors (Points Grid)
IRCC uses selection factor points to assess your eligibility for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, by assigning an overall score out of 100. If you score 67 points or higher, you may qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program. When you meet the other requirements too, you can submit a profile to the Express Entry pool. Once you’re in the Express Entry pool, IRCC uses a different points system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) system to rank your profile.
FSW program has six factors under its points grid, as shown below :
Language Skills (maximum 28 points)
You must show that you are able to communicate in one or both of Canada’s Official Languages, English, and French. Up to 24 FSW points, you may get it for your first language skills, with more than 4 FSW points, when you prove your skills for the second language. An additional 5 FSW points may be obtained if your spouse/common-law partner, if applicable, also proves language ability.
All candidates, regardless of background, are required to prove language ability in English and/or French. There are four tests recognized for the purpose of assessing language ability:
1. IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
Only the IELTS General edition is recognized for immigration purposes (the Academic version is not).
This test is available at test centers internationally.
2. CELPIP (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program)
This test is available within Canada and has a small selection of international test centres only.
3. TEF (Test d’Évaluation de Français)
This French test is available internationally.
4. TCF Canada (Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada)
This French test is available internationally.
Advantages and Disadvantages of FSWP
After that, you are admissible to Canada and now gather your documents and submit your profile.
What’s the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) processing time?
While processing times for FSWP applications remain generally between 6 and 12 months, high application volumes and specific draw-based assessments may impact the speed of processing. IRCC advises applicants to regularly monitor updates to stay informed about processing expectations. As Canada continues to adjust its immigration strategies, remaining updated ensures that applicants are fully prepared for any changes that may affect their timelines.
Once invited to apply, candidates have 60 days to submit a complete application. They must provide supporting documents such as language test results, educational credentials, proof of work experience, police certificates, medical examinations, and proof of funds. The application is submitted online through the IRCC’s portal, and applicants are required to pay the necessary fees.
The IRCC processes applications under the Federal Skilled Workers Program based on a first-come, first-served basis. The processing time may vary depending on the volume of applications received and the complexity of individual cases but mostly, it takes 6 to 12 months. Applicants are encouraged to monitor the IRCC’s website for updated processing times.